
AIMING THE HEADLAMPS
The headlamps on your vehicle are properly aimed at the assembly plant.
If your vehicle has been in an accident the alignment of your headlamps
should be checked by a qualified service technician.
TURN SIGNAL CONTROL
•Push down to activate the left
turn signal.
•Push up to activate the right turn
signal.
INTERIOR LAMPS
Cargo and dome lamps with rear headliner
Rear cargo lamps equipped with an
ON/OFF/DOOR control will light
when:
•doors are closed and the control
is in the ON position
•control is in the DOOR position
and any door is open
•headlamp control is rotated fully counterclockwise
When the control is in the OFF position, it will not illuminate when you
open the doors or fully rotate the headlamp control.
Third row courtesy/reading/cargo lamps
The dome portion of the lamp, the
center light, can be turned on when
the headlamp control is rotated fully
counterclockwise or when any door
is opened.
With the ignition key in the ACC or ON position, the rear dome lamp can
be turned ON or OFF by sliding the control.
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Never place your arm over the air bag module as a deploying air
bag can result in serious arm fractures or other injuries.
To properly position yourself away from the air bag:
•Move your seat to the rear as far as you can while still reaching the
pedals comfortably.
•Recline the seat slightly one or two degrees from the upright position.
Do not put anything on or over the air bag module. Placing
objects on or over the air bag inflation area may cause those
objects to be propelled by the air bag into your face and torso causing
serious injury.
Do not attempt to service, repair, or modify the air bag
supplemental restraint systems or its fuses. See your Ford or
Lincoln Mercury dealer.
Modifying or adding equipment to the front end of the vehicle
(including frame, bumper, front end body structure and tow
hooks) may affect the performance of the air bag system, increasing
the risk of injury. Do not modify the front end of the vehicle.
Additional equipment may affect the performance of the air bag
sensors increasing the risk of injury. Please refer to the Body
Builders Layout Book for instructions about the appropriate installation
of additional equipment.
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Determining if the system is operational
The SRS uses a readiness light in the instrument cluster or a tone to
indicate the condition of the system. Refer toAir bag readinesssection
in theInstrument clusterchapter. Routine maintenance of the air bag is
not required.
A difficulty with the system is indicated by one or more of the following:
•The readiness light will either
flash or stay lit.
•The readiness light will not
illuminate immediately after ignition is turned on.
•A series of five beeps will be heard. The tone pattern will repeat
periodically until the problem and/or light are repaired.
If any of these things happen, even intermittently, have the SRS serviced
at your dealership or by a qualified technician immediately. Unless
serviced, the system may not function properly in the event of a
collision.
Disposal of air bags and air bag equipped vehicles (including
pretensioners)
See your local dealership or qualified technician. Air bags MUST BE
disposed of by qualified personnel.
SAFETY RESTRAINTS FOR CHILDREN
See the following sections for directions on how to properly use safety
restraints for children. Also seeAir bag supplemental restraint system
(SRS)in this chapter for special instructions about using air bags.
Important child restraint precautions
You are required by law to use safety restraints for children in the U.S.
and Canada. If small children (generally children who are four years old
or younger and who weigh 18 kg [40 lbs] or less) ride in your vehicle,
you must put them in safety seats made especially for children. Many
states require that children use approved booster seats until they are
eight years old. Check your local and state or provincial laws for specific
requirements regarding the safety of children in your vehicle. When
possible, always place children under age 12 in the rear seat of your
vehicle. Accident statistics suggest that children are safer when properly
restrained in the rear seating positions than in the front seating position.
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•Make sure the gearshift is in P
(Park).
•Turn the key to 4 (ON) without
turning the key to 5 (START).
Make sure the corresponding lights illuminate or illuminate briefly. If a
light fails to illuminate, have the vehicle serviced.
•If the driver’s safety belt is fastened, the
light may not illuminate.
Starting the engine
1. Turn the key to 4 (ON) without
turning the key to 5 (START).
2. Turn the key to 5 (START), then
release the key as soon as the
engine starts. Excessive cranking
could damage the starter.
1
2
34
5
3
2
1
5
4
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Note:If the engine does not start within five seconds on the first try,
turn the key to 3 (OFF), wait 10 seconds and try again. If the engine still
fails to start, press the accelerator to the floor and try again; this will
allow the engine to crank with the fuel shut off in case the engine is
flooded with fuel.
Using the engine block heater (if equipped)
Use of an engine block heater is strongly recommended if you live in a
region where temperatures reach -23°C (-10°F) or below. For best
results, plug the heater in at least three hours before starting the vehicle.
The heater can be plugged in the night before starting the vehicle.
To reduce the risk of electrical shock, do not use your heater
with ungrounded electrical systems or two-pronged (cheater)
adapters.
Guarding against exhaust fumes
Carbon monoxide is present in exhaust fumes. Take precautions to avoid
its dangerous effects.
If you smell exhaust fumes inside your vehicle, have your dealer
inspect your vehicle immediately. Do not drive if you smell
exhaust fumes.
Important ventilating information
If the engine is idling while the vehicle is stopped for a long period of
time, open the windows at least 2.5 cm (one inch) or adjust the heating
or air conditioning to bring in fresh air.
BRAKES
Occasional brake noise is normal. If a metal-to-metal, continuous grinding
or continuous squeal sound is present, the brake linings may be worn-out
and should be inspected by a qualified service technician. If the vehicle
has continuous vibration or shudder in the steering wheel while braking,
the vehicle should be inspected by a qualified service technician.
Refer toBrake system warning
lightin theInstrument Cluster
chapter for information on the brake
system warning light.
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Four-wheel anti-lock brake system (ABS)
Your vehicle is equipped with an Anti-lock Braking System (ABS). This
system helps you maintain steering control during emergency stops by
keeping the brakes from locking. Noise from the ABS pump motor and
brake pedal pulsation may be observed during ABS braking; this is
normal and should be no reason for concern.
ABS warning lamp
The ABS lamp in the instrument
cluster momentarily illuminates
when the ignition is turned on. If
the light does not illuminate during
start up, remains on or flashes, the
ABS may be disabled and may need to be serviced.
Even when the ABS is disabled,
normal braking is still effective. (If
your BRAKE warning lamp
illuminates with the parking brake
released, have your brake system serviced immediately.)
Using ABS
When hard braking is required, apply continuous force on the brake
pedal; do not pump the brake pedal since this will reduce the
effectiveness of the ABS and will increase your vehicle’s stopping
distance. The ABS will be activated immediately, allowing you to retain
full steering control during hard braking and on slippery surfaces.
However, the ABS does not decrease stopping distance.
Parking brake
To set the parking brake (1), press
the parking brake pedal down until
the pedal stops.
To release, pull the lever (2).
Always set the parking
brake fully and make sure
that the gearshift is securely
latched in P (Park).
ABS
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AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION OPERATION
Brake-shift interlock
This vehicle is equipped with a brake-shift interlock feature that prevents
the gearshift lever from being moved from P (Park) when the ignition is
in the ON position unless brake pedal is depressed.
If you cannot move the gearshift lever out of P (Park) with ignition in
the ON position and the brake pedal depressed:
1. Apply the parking brake, turn ignition key to LOCK, then remove the
key.
2. Insert the key and turn it to OFF.Apply the brake pedal and shift
to N (Neutral).
When the key is in the ignition and in the OFF position, the
automatic transmission shift lever can be moved from the P
(Park) position without the brake pedal depressed. To avoid unwanted
vehicle movement, always set the parking brake.
3. Start the vehicle.
If it is necessary to use the above procedure to move the gearshift lever,
it is possible that a fuse has blown or the vehicle’s brakelamps are not
operating properly. Refer toFuses and relaysin theRoadside
emergencieschapter.
Do not drive your vehicle until you verify that the brakelamps
are working.
Always set the parking brake fully and make sure the gearshift is
latched in P (Park). Turn the ignition to the LOCK position and
remove the key whenever you leave your vehicle.
If the parking brake is fully released, but the brake warning lamp
remains illuminated, the brakes may not be working properly.
See your dealer or a qualified service technician.
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Forced downshifts
•Allowed in
(Overdrive) or Drive.
•Depress the accelerator to the floor.
•Allows transmission to select an appropriate gear.
Shift strategy (4R100 automatic transmission)
To account for customer driving habits and conditions, your 4R100
automatic transmission electronically controls the shift quality by using
an adaptive learning strategy. The adaptive learning strategy is
maintained by power from the battery. When the battery is disconnected
or a new battery is installed, the transmission must relearn its adaptive
strategy. Optimal shifting will resume within a few hundred kilometers
(miles) of operation.
If the shift quality does not improve within a few hundred
kilometers (miles) of operation, or if the downshifts and other
throttle conditions do not function normally, see your dealer or a
qualified service technician as soon as possible.
If your vehicle goes off the edge of the pavement
•If your vehicle goes off the edge of the pavement, slow down, but
avoid severe brake application, ease the vehicle back onto the
pavement only after reducing your speed. Do not turn the steering
wheel too sharply while returning to the road surface.
•It may be safer to stay on the apron or shoulder of the road and slow
down gradually before returning to the pavement. You may lose
control if you do not slow down or if you turn the steering wheel too
sharply or abruptly.
•It often may be less risky to strike small objects, such as highway
reflectors, with minor damage to your vehicle rather than attempt a
sudden return to the pavement which could cause the vehicle to slide
sideways out of control or roll over. Remember, your safety and the
safety of others should be your primary concern.
Vehicles with a higher center of gravity such as utility and
four-wheel drive vehicles handle differently than vehicles with a
lower center of gravity. Utility and four-wheel drive vehicles arenot
designed for cornering at speeds as high as passenger cars any more
than low-slung sports cars are designed to perform satisfactorily under
off-road conditions. Avoid sharp turns, excessive speed and abrupt
maneuvers in these vehicles. Failure to drive cautiously could result in
an increased risk of loss of vehicle control, vehicle rollover, personal
injury and death.
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